EmberClear power plant will positively impact Sangamon County economy

The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce commissioned the Center for Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois University to prepare an economic impact analysis of the proposed EmberClear power plant. The capital investment is expected to be $1 billion and would create between 500 – 800 construction jobs during the construction period. Operations of the power plant will create 30 – 40 jobs with an average salary of $80,000 - $90,000.

The economic impact study used 650 construction jobs and 35 operational jobs since those numbers were the middle of the range given. The economic impact of the proposed power plant is larger than anticipated. A summary is below, and the full study can be accessed here.

Construction Economic Impact

Creation of 650 direct jobs

Indirect and induced job creation is 2,712. Indirect jobs are the impact of the project’s spending with local contractors and suppliers (business to business) while induced jobs are the impact of household spending of the project’s employees in the local community.

Creation of 3,362 total jobs during plant construction when counting direct, indirect and induced.

Operational Economic Impact

After construction the plant anticipates employing 30 – 40 people (study used 35 for direct jobs)

410 jobs will be created indirectly (business to business) and induced (household spending).

Total job creation after plant is operational is 445 jobs

“For more than a decade our community has dealt with a decline in State jobs followed by the great recession and then followed by an ongoing financial crisis at the State that has stunted our community’s economic growth,” said Chris Hembrough, President & CEO of The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. “Sangamon County needs an economic shot in the arm that puts people to work, creates wealth and provides our families who have fallen on hard time economically a pathway to prosperity. The creation of 3,362 jobs during the construction phase will give our community that much needed economic boost while the creation of 445 total jobs will enhance our community’s wealth and provide us new suppliers and assist in our business attraction efforts. Now is the time for our community leaders to come together for our community, for our businesses and for our families looking to climb the economic ladder.”